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This is a case of the other guy would be a better option. The facts show differently. Troy Smith or Johnson are not on NFL rosters.
Several teams don't carry a 3rd QB on the roster. The results would more the likely be the same regardless who came in as the 3rd QB for the Steelers. I don't recall a 3rd string QB coming in playing well, do you?

You are right...the other guys are better options than an ancient, noodle armed third stringer. Not developing a young guy so you can keep Batch shouldn't even be defended.

Unless the Steelers draft a QB to groom in the first round the chances are slim that they will be able to draft a quality backup in the later rounds of the draft. John Skelton played as well as Batch and Leftwich. I don't see the Steelers drafting a QB in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd round as long as Ben is the starter.

Bottom line on all of this is that there are not enough quality QB's to go around. It's really that simple.

What round was Brady taken in? To say only Qbs in the first can be effective back ups is short sighted at best. So unless we draft a QBS in the first, we should just settle on a terrible ancient back up? Not buying it.

In a given practice week, the backup QB gets minimal reps with the starters (like, single digits), and the 3rd QB gets none (he runs the scout team).

All things considered, you'd prefer to have backup QB's with NFL experience, because if your QB gets injured, they will be entering the game with very few practice reps with the starters (if any) that week.

It would be one thing if Jerrod Johnson had a strong preseason and Leftwich and Batch stunk up the joint, but that wasn't the case. Here are the preseason stats:

All of those guys had impressive preseasons, but Leftwich and Batch had more experience (and therefore wouldn't require a ton of reps during the week like Johnson would to progress), plus Johnson tended to play the latest in the preseason games, where the talent he was playing against was the poorest overall.

You are right...the other guys are better options than an ancient, noodle armed third stringer. Not developing a young guy so you can keep Batch shouldn't even be defended.

The results would more then likely be the same with any 2nd or 3rd string QB. If you don't believe in the percentages go take a look at the back up QB's around the league and how they perform when called upon. The %'s are against you in that regard. Some teams think so much of a third QB that they don't carry one on the 53 man roster.

What round was Brady taken in? To say only Qbs in the first can be effective back ups is short sighted at best. So unless we draft a QBS in the first, we should just settle on a terrible ancient back up? Not buying it.

Brady was a once in a a hundred year phenomenon. Some would suggest Brady was a miracle of epic proportion.

It's not so short sighted when one actually pays attention to the past and what's out there at the QB position. Most 2nd and 3rd string QB's marginal to terrible players. If they were better players they would be starters in the league. Why is that so difficult to understand? If it was easy to find a Tom Brady in the 6th round of the draft every team would have one waiting in the wings.

In a given practice week, the backup QB gets minimal reps with the starters (like, single digits), and the 3rd QB gets none (he runs the scout team).

All things considered, you'd prefer to have backup QB's with NFL experience, because if your QB gets injured, they will be entering the game with very few practice reps with the starters (if any) that week.

It would be one thing if Jerrod Johnson had a strong preseason and Leftwich and Batch stunk up the joint, but that wasn't the case. Here are the preseason stats:

All of those guys had impressive preseasons, but Leftwich and Batch had more experience (and therefore wouldn't require a ton of reps during the week like Johnson would to progress), plus Johnson tended to play the latest in the preseason games, where the talent he was playing against was the poorest overall.

I buy that...except for the 3rd stringer. That is where you usually have the luxury of keeping a younger guy to develop. Keeping Batch has proven to serve no purpose other than keeping a younger more athletic guy from this squad.

Unless the Steelers draft a QB to groom in the first round the chances are slim that they will be able to draft a quality backup in the later rounds of the draft. John Skelton played as well as Batch and Leftwich. I don't see the Steelers drafting a QB in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd round as long as Ben is the starter.

Bottom line on all of this is that there are not enough quality QB's to go around. It's really that simple.

Sorry but I'm not buying what you're selling. You don't need a 1st, 2nd or 3rd rounder to be a legit backup.

It's easy to blame the organization with 20/20 hindsight. Coming out of training camp many NFL pundits believed that the Steelers backup quarterback situation was as good as it gets in the NFL. The past two weekends have proven differently, there's no way to determine who will or won't perform, but the things you look for in a backup quarterback are experience in game situations and some one that can manage a game successfully. The Steelers believed they had that in Leftwich (a former starter) and Batch (old reliable). You can't assume that a player will get injured, regardless of what we believe as armchair GMs.

The Ravens have Tyrod Taylor as their backup. Is he winning any games if Flacco gets injured? Doubtful How about Bruce Gradkowski or Colt McCoy? Highly unlikely

How Graham Harrell? Exactly, who you say, he backs up Aaron Rogers
Like McCown? Matt Ryan's backup
TJ Yates? Doubtful

Every team is in the same place with backup quarterbacks, it's someone that can finish a game and not lose it. If the backup has to play more than two or three games the season is finished for that team. You can't win in the NFL if only 2 of the 3 facets of the game are functioning at an NFL caliber level. Right now would I liked to have had Jerrod Johnson or Hoyer from the beginning? Of course, but coming out of training camp I believed the Steelers to be in a sound position should they need to play a couple games without Ben. Leftwich and Batch have proven otherwise, but there's no way of knowing that in August and September, IMO.

Pappy

I would take Yates or McCown. If you remember, the Packers backup signed a huge deal with Seattle to become the starter. Instead, they decided to go with Russell Wilson.

Gradkowski? Well, he was good enough to torch the Steelers D a few years back. McCoy? I'd take him over our backups any day.